2019 Russian Grand Prix
|poletime = 1:31.628 |fastestlap = 1:35.761 |fastestlapdriver = Lewis Hamilton |fastestlapnation = GBR |fastestlapteam = |fastestlapnumber = 51 |winner = Lewis Hamilton |winnernation = GBR |winnerteam = |second = Valtteri Bottas |secondnation = FIN |secondteam = |third = Charles Leclerc |thirdnation = MON |thirdteam = }} The 2019 Russian Grand Prix (officially the Formula 1 VTB Russian Grand Prix 2019) was the sixteenth race of the 2019 Formula One season, and the sixth time the Russian Grand Prix was held on the Formula One calendar. It was held between 28 September and 30 September 2019. In qualifying, Charles Leclerc took his sixth pole position, while Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel qualified second and third respectively. In the race, Vettel took a better start than Hamilton and slipstreamed Leclerc to take the lead, whilst Carlos Sainz, Jr. made up a place on Valtteri Bottas and almost got past Hamilton before the second corner. The safety car came out after Antonio Giovinazzi got squeezed and collided with Romain Grosjean and Daniel Ricciardo. Ricciardo limped back to the pits with a puncture, but Grosjean had smashed into the wall. After the safety car came in at the end of lap 3, Vettel was given team orders to let Leclerc back past, but he was quick to say that Leclerc was a bit far behind him. To give Leclerc back the lead, opted to have him pit first at the end of lap 22, then Vettel at the end of lap 26. However, before he could complete the next lap, Vettel's car slowed down with an MGU-K failure, and he pulled off at Turn 16, deploying the virtual safety car on lap 28. Hamilton and Bottas took the opportunity to pit under the virtual safety car, with Hamilton taking the lead ahead of Leclerc. Immediately after the virtual safety car ended on lap 29, George Russell crashed at Turn 9, and the safety car was deployed again. Leclerc pitted again at the end of lap 30 and came out behind Bottas, but once the safety car came in at the end of 32, he could not get past Bottas. Hamilton went on to take his eighty-second victory, scoring his first win since the summer break, and scoring an extra point with the fastest lap. Bottas and Leclerc finished second and third respectively. __TOC__ Background Entry list Practice Overview FP1 FP2 FP3 Practice Results Qualifying Q1 Q2 Q3 Qualifying Results ** Verstappen was given a five-place grid penalty for using his fifth ICE. *† Gasly was given a five-place grid penalty for using his seventh ICE. *‡ Kubica was forced to start from the back of the grid after using his fourth ICE, fourth turbocharger and fourth MGU-H. *§ Albon was given a five-place grid penalty for using his fifth ICE. However, after his accident in Q1, he was forced to start from the pit lane with a new car floor, fifth turbocharger, fifth MGU-H, fourth MGU-K, and an unscheduled gearbox change. *** Kvyat was forced to start from the back of the grid after using his sixth and seventh ICE, sixth and seventh turbocharger, sixth and seventh MGU-H, and fifth and sixth MGU-K. He failed to set a lap time within the 107% rule, but was given permission from the stewards to race. Grid Source ** Verstappen was given a five-place grid penalty for using his fifth ICE. *† Gasly was given a five-place grid penalty for using his seventh ICE. *‡ Kubica was forced to start from the back of the grid after using his fourth ICE, fourth turbocharger and fourth MGU-H. *§ Kvyat was forced to start from the back of the grid after using his sixth and seventh ICE, sixth and seventh turbocharger, sixth and seventh MGU-H, and fifth and sixth MGU-K. He failed to set a lap time within the 107% rule, but was given permission from the stewards to race. *** Albon was given a five-place grid penalty for using his fifth ICE. However, after his accident in Q1, he was forced to start from the pit lane with a new car floor, fifth turbocharger, fifth MGU-H, fourth MGU-K, and an unscheduled gearbox change. Race Report Post-race Results ** 25 points for the win and 1 point for the fastest lap. *† Magnussen originally finished eighth, but was given a five-second penalty for leaving the track and not rejoining as instructed. Milestones *Charles Leclerc shares Michael Schumacher's record of four consecutive pole positions for from to . Standings after race Notes Category:Grand Prix articles Category:2019 Grands Prix Category:Russian Grand Prix